


Underwater

by Lagoushka



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek, Getting to understand Each Other, M/M, Werewolf 101, Werewolf Stiles Stilinski, but against his will
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2016-10-16
Packaged: 2018-07-15 11:22:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7220365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lagoushka/pseuds/Lagoushka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The werewolf stops, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, “Stiles you were dying.”</p><p>Stiles stiffens. He understands immediately what Derek is saying without it being worded. He thought the large healing wound on his wrist he averted his eyes from earlier was of Peter's doing. </p><p>“No,” he says climbing out of his bed. “No.” He walks to his door still facing Derek whose red eyes are fixated on him. “No, no, no...”</p><p>___________<br/>In which Stiles gets bitten against his will and has to roll with it with the help of Derek.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I'm giving this story a try.  
> Almost everything is written but I need a little push for the last chapter...  
> This is me not liking "werewolf Stiles". Go figure.
> 
> Also, I could use a beta *wink wink*.

**_Prologue_ **

 

Derek was reading a book on the porch, the air was still warm from the afternoon sun. It was quiet, only a few night birds singing and the sound of nocturnal insects. There was no wind and the only light came from the moon.

His head snapped up when he heard the noise. A short but loud and scared cry. It came from the forest maybe a mile away, not more. He focused his attention on the direction it came from, closing his eyes and putting his book down next to him.

He couldn't hear anything and he let himself wonder if he had not imagined the screaming. His instincts had kicked in, though. He knew he had to go and find out what, or rather who, was out there. He stood up, sniffed the air. Still nothing unusual. He hesitated for a second but a second cry echoed. It was as loud as the first one but longer this time and painful to his ears. He ran.

The first scent he recognized was Peter's and that confused him. Then he stopped abruptly. Stiles. He listened, completely still. Short and fast breaths occasionally interrupted by tiny whines of pain. He started to run again to find Stiles laying on the ground, covered in blood. It took Derek a couple of seconds to react, to do something. He knelt near the boy and called out his name. Stiles seemed completely gone, obviously trying to fight the pain. And probably the fear. Peter's scent was all over him and Derek didn't need a drawing to understand he was responsible for the state the human in front of him was in.

Derek tried to think fast. He didn't have his phone to call for an ambulance and it was quite obvious that taking the pain away from Stiles wouldn't help much.

“So now,” came a familiar voice behind him. He didn't turn around as he heard Peter walking towards him. He stood on the other side of Stiles body with a predatory look. “You're not known for making the best decisions of all times but your choices don't extend much right now. Either you bite him, or he dies right here.”

Derek gently put his left arm under Stiles neck, the right under his knees and stood with Stiles' now unconscious body cradled against his chest. He turned away from his uncle and walked as fast as possible towards his house. He didn't dare to run, afraid being too shaken up could worsen Stiles' state.

A couple of weeks earlier Derek had learned that Peter had wanted Stiles to get the bite when he was still an alpha. It didn't take him long to understand that his psychopath of an uncle had planed this. Peter knew that Derek would rather bite Stiles than watch him die. Peter probably knew about that unexplainable thing that drew Derek to the teen. That thing Derek himself didn't quit understand.

When he arrived at the house he climbed the stairs and went in his old room by instinct. If he had to inflict that on Stiles he wouldn’t do it in the middle of the forest. Stiles deserved more than that. Way more than that.


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, let's go.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this first chapter and want to follow the story ! (let me know if you do!)

It's still dark when Stiles wakes up. It's not that surprising after the nightmare he just had. It was more vivid than all the horrifying supernatural creatures filled dreams he'd had for the last year. It was just as real as the dreams about his mom.

His head spins when he sits, he moves his body with difficulty so his back is against the wall. He's sweaty and feels like his body is just an enormous wound. He frowns. He never felt so bad after any other nightmare. His dad enters his room making Stiles realize he let his door open the night before which is unusual.

“You're up.” Says Dad. He sounds happy but looks unsure as he walks towards the bed. “How are you feeling?”

Stiles looks around before setting his gaze on his father. He deeply hopes that what he's thinking is totally stupid. He pushes his comforter away. He doesn't need to look under his shirt to understand. The four long and thin marks on his left thigh tell him enough. It's not as nasty as he'd expected. It looks more like old scars. 

What he though was a dream, a nightmare, is pure reality. 

“What...” he starts but his voice breaks. He has no idea what to say.

“It's okay son,” Dad says as he sits on the bed next to him. “You're gonna be okay.” The soft tone of his father's voice along with the familiar weight of his hand on Stiles knee should be reassuring. Surprisingly, it is not.

*

Dad brings Stiles a bowl of soup that Melissa made for him. When the last drop has disappeared Dad helps him out of his bed and to the bathroom so he can take a shower. Then Melissa is here, an apologetic smile plastered on her face, she checks him up and says good night before leaving. He didn't look at his stomach, afraid of what he would see there. His leg is not so painful anymore.

Once Stiles feels a little better his dad asks him to sit down. He goes for the end of his bed and watches as Dad moves the chair so he can face him. Then he starts talking. Stiles listens with wide eyes, wondering who made the decision to tell his dad about werewolves. It was his decision to make, after all.

When Dad's story comes to the point where Stiles passed out in the forest right after Derek arrived by his side, Derek actually enters the room.

“Right on time to tell me how you saved me?” Stiles asks. He's exhausted, would rather sleep than listen to more of that story, but he tries a weak smile anyway. He doesn’t say how when he ran in the forest, blinded by darkness and terror he prayed for Derek to be around and hear him. He hadn't prayed for anything in a really long time, since he realized Santa wasn't real and nobody could save his mother.

Derek's face closes up more than usual. 

“Have a sit,” Dad tells him making Stiles' eyes widen. Did Derek saving his son made Dad being suddenly polite to him?

Derek nods, sits on the chair besides Stiles' bed and looks at his hands joined on his laps. Dad leaves the room without a word and closes the door behind him.

Stiles feels like he's in trouble even though he knows he hasn't done anything wrong. He frowns and turns to look at Derek's hunched body. 

“So?”

“Stiles, I've got to tell you what happened after you passed out.”

Stiles doesn't understand. Peter chased him into the woods where he attacked him and then Derek was there. The bad part was the one dad told him, how can Derek have anything worse to ad to that story?

“Did,” he starts feeling his throat tighten, “did someone get hurt?”

Derek's eyebrows rise so much that it would have made Stiles laugh for hours if he wasn't so lost. 

“Yes, Stiles. You got hurt.” Derek answers through gritted teeth. 

“I know that. But nobody else got hurt right? Nobody died trying to save me or whatever?” 

He'd hate himself if it was the case. 

“No, no one else than you but it doesn't matter. It's not the reason why I'm here.”

“No, you're here to explain why my dad actually tolerates you being here. I get that you saved me but...” Stiles tilts his head. He really wants an answer to that.

“Stiles you have to listen to me. I know you're going to be angry at me but you have to understand that I had no other choice. I had to do it.” Derek speaks fast, and his tone suggests that he might be trying to convince himself, not Stiles, that whatever he did was, indeed, the right thing to do.

“You killed Peter?” Stiles asks, hoping for a positive answer. He definitely doesn't want to see the mad werewolf again and doesn't want to be scared at the idea that it could happen again either.

“Yes but,” the werewolf stops, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, “Stiles you were dying.”

Stiles stiffens. He understands immediately what Derek is meaning to say without it being worded. He thought the large healing wound on his wrist he averted his eyes from earlier was of Peter's doing. 

“No,” he says climbing out of his bed. “No.” He walks to his door still facing Derek whose red eyes are fixated on him. “No, no, no...”

“Stiles.”

“No you didn't!” He raises his voice. His back hits the door and he wishes he could disappear into it.

“Stiles I had to! You were going to die!” Derek stands up as he yells and growls at Stiles.

“Well you should have let me!” Stiles shouts. He opens the door and walks out of his room. He can feel his father's gaze on him as he crosses the living room to leave the house. He doesn't say anything, doesn't even close the front door and run to his car. 

 

Stiles drives without thinking, doesn't care about the direction he's heading to. He feels the need to go as far as possible as if the distance could erase the Supernatural Event of the Week. The radio is blaring terrible songs he hopes will prevent any thoughts to come into his mind. He doesn't want to acknowledge the fact that this isn't a problem that will go away.

A tiny sound brings him back in the real world. He's going to be out of gas soon. His gaze lands on the time making him realize that he's been driving for two hours. He has no idea where he is and feels suddenly exhausted once again. He stops his car on the side of the road and stares in front of him; hands griping the steering wheel until he falls asleep. If he watches as the teeth shaped wound on his wrist slowly disappears completely, he doesn't acknowledge it. 

 

The noise that wakes him up is right next to his left ear, and seriously annoying. He groans and opens his eyes. The sun is rising and there are cars on the road unlike during the night. He identifies the noise as a knock on his window and turns to see Scott standing there in his PJ pants only.

“Stiles,” his best friend calls once he sees that he has his attention.

“Go away,” mumbles Stiles, not quite awake yet.

“Stiles open the door so I can climb in with you. Then we'll talk.”

Scott is being nice and Stiles isn't oblivious to that but there is a tiny part of him that holds Scott responsible for what happened. The same part that makes him close his eyes and try to block away the voice of his friend. It's probably unfair but Stiles can't help but think that if Scott wouldn't have stood him up that evening everything would be okay. He ignores the voice in his mind, he doesn't want to hear anything about his own responsibility in Scott wolfiness either.

“Go away!” Stiles repeats, louder and more firmly.

“Your dad's coming anyway.” Scott shrugs.

Stiles watches as Scott climbs on the hood of the car and just sprawls there waiting for Stiles to let him in.

Two hours later Scott hasn't moved and neither has Stiles. If Scott had been cold he would have gone away. 

Stiles recognizes his dad car in the rear view mirror and sighs. 

*

Stiles has a steaming cup of hot chocolate between his hands. The realization that he actually doesn't need anything to warm him up brings him back to earth. It brings him back to the real world in which crazy things he wouldn't have thought possible the year before are happening. He rises his eyes and finds his father's. The man is sitting on the other side of the table obviously struggling to find the right words.

“It's not like there are right words anyway,” Stiles hears himself say out loud.

Right. At least he still has no brain-to-mouth filter. Good thing to know. 

“I had an interesting conversation with Derek after he brought you here the other night.” Dad starts, elbows resting on the edge of the table while his hands are clasped together as if he's trying to reach out for his son but doesn’t know if it's okay to do so.

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

“We're not going to talk about everything that happened those last months. Not now. What I want us to talk about is how it's going to be from now on.”

Stiles frowns. He figures Dad is going to tell him he'll have to say things to him now. No more secrets. What makes him grit his teeth though, is the other part of the conversation for which he'll have to accept the new reality of his life.

“I understand that you're angry at Derek for bit-”

“Nope!” Stiles says loudly as he stands up, pushing his chair backwards. It falls down behind him. He takes his hot chocolate cup with him and goes to his room as fast as possible. The burning milk that spills on his hand doesn't hurt but he ignores that the same way than his dad's mumbling in the kitchen. 

Once in his room he makes sure the window is closed before turning the light off and crawling in his bed. He isn’t tired but feels the need to hide in the warmth of his comforter. He's not cold but that doesn't mean it's not reassuring. 

*

The next morning Stiles is woken up by a fruity and girly smell. He opens his eyes to see Allison's face hovering over him.

“Scott told me once that you sleep either like a burrito or a sloth. Looks like a burrito night.” She smiles warmly and Stiles wonders what is wrong with her. She's never been particularly caring why would she decide to be... now?

“What do you want?” Comes the mumbled answer.

“Your dad let me in. I might have heard what happened. Wanted to check on you.”

“What?”

“You should talk to Scott. And hear him out too. Don't you think he can relate to what you're going through? He could help.” Her eyebrows raise as if to prove she has a point. 

“Can you get out of my room please?”

He watches as Allison's eyes widen in surprise. She smiles weakly and gets up. Before closing the door behind her she turns towards Stiles. “I guess you know were to find us. We're all here for you when you're ready.”

Stiles manages to restrain from saying something like “what use would a hunter be to me?”


	3. Chapter Two

Stiles spends the next twelve days locked up in his room. He usually just lays on his back on his bed or on the floor and tries to get used to his newly enhanced senses. On day four, he stabs himself in the leg with a fork to see how fast it heals. That's the stupid experiment. It hurts, of course it does, but the pain goes away quickly and the four tiny holes disappear. 

He listens at the cars and tries to know which house they stop at and to recognize them. When he hears his dad climbing the stairs, steps heavy, the game is to guess what vegetables Melissa put in the soup she brought over. 

He doesn't talk to anyone, doesn't check his phone. He only opens his mouth to thank his father and say hello and goodbye when his dad stops at his closed door. Stiles can hear and smell his dad's emotions and that is the most painful. He can hear the sound of a bottle cap being removed, the liquid splashing in the glass, then the tiny sips his dad takes from it.

Day eight is spent in front of his mirror trying to make his eyes glow. It only works when he crashes his fist against the sink forcefully. The pain is quite stronger than the one from the fork and he forgets to open his eyes to look at his reflection. But somehow he knows it happened. 

On day thirteen Stiles looks up at his calendar and is at loss when he realizes the next full moon is the next evening. He has them all marked since Scott's first one. He sits on his bed fist clenched, eyes closed. He tries to regulate his breathing and push away the panic he feels rushing in. 

“Dad?” He calls weakly. When no answer comes he gets up, gets out of his room and goes for the stairs. He finds his dad in the kitchen reading the newspaper with his morning coffee, back resting against the fridge.

“Dad, I...” He stops, unsure of what to say.

The Sheriff's gaze leaves his newspaper to lend on the panicking teen standing shakily at the door. His eyes widen and he frowns. “Your, your eyes,” he can only say, both surprised and worried.

Stiles walks further in the room and looks at his reflection in the microwave's window. He steps suddenly backwards, half jumping away when he sees his golden eyes shine.

“Dad,” he whines as he walks back until he hits the wall. He probably looks like a scared deer caught in lights.

“I'm gonna call Scott,” Dad says in a hurry, fumbling with his phone once he's got it in hand.

“No!” Shouts Stiles. “Not, Scott.”

Dad makes a face but seems to figure it isn't the time to ask. Instead he approaches Stiles warily, like he would do with a wild and frightened animal and talks as softly as a can in his own growing panic. “You want me to call Derek?” He asks a bit surprised after the way his son has pushed the alpha away like the others, if not more.

“Bring me to his house. Please,” Stiles whines, breath shaky. 

The Sheriff helps his son outside of the house and towards his car. He stops when he realizes Stiles is going for the back sit of the cruiser but doesn't say anything. He figures Stiles is scared that something out of his control could happen. As if that separation between the back and the front of the car would be of any protection, he grimaces at the though. In the obvious urgency of the situation he has to stop himself from putting the siren on. He drives fast to the old Hale house, hoping Derek is there and tries not to think about the fact that his child his currently growing fangs.

Before he even stops the car Stiles is out and running towards the house, the red door opens before he is on the porch. The Sheriff allows himself to breathe, now that he knows his son is safe.

*

Stiles slows down when Derek opens the door. He's still panicking. He felt his canines grow since he freaked out in front of the microwave and worries about what was next to come even if he already knows.

“Help me”, he half begs, half orders, falling to his knees suddenly exhausted.

It's Dad who talks him out of his panic, Derek close by 'just in case', Stiles has asked. Dad reassures him and he lets himself believe it will be okay.

Once Stiles is calm again and Derek promises to bring him back home Dad leaves.

“What triggered the panic?” Derek asks a bit to gently to Stiles opinion.

“The full moon's tomorrow night. I realized I won't be able to control... it.”

“You've helped Scott before.”

“Yeah, you're not gonna make me believe you think I did a good job.”

“You did.”

Stiles frowns. “I can't make it on my own! You have to teach me how to be in control. That's the least you can do.” He spits the last words to make sure Derek is aware he is still angry and not here by choice.

“There might be another solution,” Derek says, walking away, back to Stiles.

“And that is?”

“I'm not sure but we could try,” he shrugs and Stiles knows, smells, feels, that he's hesitating. “You don't remember that possible cure I told Scott about back then?”

“Yeah, you said that if he killed the alph-, you're not seriously about to suggest I kill you?”

Stiles stands up from where he was sitting on the floor, back to the wall. He opens his mouth to say what's on his mind but growls instead. “Look at me Derek!” he yells. “Say I kill you and then what? Maybe I'm human again and Scott goes on doing whatever he set his mind on. You die, Isaac ends up without an Alpha, without anything. And as much as I hate to say that, I can't deal with this without your help. Or let's say we do that and I end up being an Alpha. Yeah. Nice. I have no control right now but at least there's someone who can stop me!”

When he thinks Stiles is done shouting at him, Derek turns around but Stiles doesn't let him the time to even open his mouth.

“Yeah,” Stiles huffs as if everything is so hilarious. “That's the best plan you've ever had. You don't even know if it will work!”

“Then what do you want?” Asks Derek, more aggressively than he expected.

“I won't get what I want, Derek. But you are going to help me do my best with what I have.”

“Okay.”

And just like that, the training starts. It is hard, Derek pushes him and Stiles doesn't want to give up. He wants to be the less unready he can. With the night comes Isaac. He watches from afar until the Alpha decides it is enough for now. Derek brings him back home and Stiles sleeps like he hasn't in months, exhausted both physically from the training and psychologically after having finally accepted his new reality. He's a werewolf now and as far from what he'd dreamed of as it is, he will have to roll with it.

The next morning Dad drives him to the house in the woods before his shift. It is early as hell but both Derek and Isaac are waiting for him. The training is harder and as the day goes Stiles can feel the full moon coming. The memories of Scott's first full moon keeps distracting him when he isn't wondering how Derek is planing to keep him from going feral.

Around six they stop everything to eat enormous amounts of pizza. Stiles checks his phone and reads a text from his dad telling him to do his best. He sends back a quick 'see you tomorrow'. 

“What now?” Stiles asks once they're done with their dinner.

“We had rooms for that under the house. I can't let you alone, don't want you to freak out and chock yourself with panic. Can't lock Isaac up alone either. It's gonna be the three of us all night long.”

“Yeah!” Stiles can see Isaac smile slightly at his fake cheering. “You got games down there? Cards, little cars, colored pencils and paper? Something to occupy the kids? Something for us to chew on?”

Derek ignores him but Isaac answers for him. “You wont be able to think about that, dude. Trust me.”

“Great! I can't wait!”

*

Stiles groans when he hears his phone ring. He reaches out for it, brings it back to where he's hiding under the covers. The light of the screen hurts his eyes but they get used to it and he can read a text from Derek. Be back after lunch, it says. His eyebrows furrow as he realizes he is in his bed. His entire body aches and he wonders if he is back on the day he woke up after being attacked.

He stays calm, decides to text back instead of rushing out of bed to find an explanation. How the fuck did I end up in my bed?

Brought you back home at dawn. Eat before you show up.

Reading the fast answer, Stiles is now aware that he's pretty hungry, famished actually. He gets up and goes to the bathroom. He takes a long shower, cleans dry blood and dirt from his skin. While he dries his body off he glances at the small clock. He does the maths and guesses he' slept for six hours give or so. It takes a while to clean the tip of his fingers and he tries to avoid thinking about who's blood dried under his nails.

It's noon when he goes down the stairs mentally listing all the things he wants to eat. There's a note from his dad on the fridge. As he reads it, Stiles feels guilt rush into his bones. His dad as been trying to be supportive from the start but Stiles pushed him away preventing him from helping in any way. In one night he had to learn not only that werewolves (and other freaky supernatural creatures) exist but that his son had been turned into one.  
He thinks about when he was a kid and his dad would leave tiny notes with magnet letters before leaving for the station. He always wrote an answer with the help of his mom even if he came back home before his dad.   
He forgets his breakfast, his hunger, and goes for the attic. He finds the box where they keep his childhood toys and other things and opens it. He tries not to get distracted by memories and looks for the plastic letters he knows are hidden in a little box.

He eats while trying to compose the perfect message with the letters he has. He contemplates his art with a cup of coffee: best dad ever xx. The last 'e' had to be replaced by an upside-down 'a', but it will do. 

On the road to Derek's Stiles takes the time to think about the night before. He remembers going to the cave with Derek and Isaac. The look on Derek's face while he chained him up might necessitate a little analyzing but Stiles was, still is, to blinded by his anger for this. He fought, tried to got out, probably screamed a lot, he thinks when he wants to sing along the radio. He figures he simply passed out at some point.

Stiles is not on clock anymore. Well, he kind of is since there is a full moon every month but he decides to slow down a bit. He parks his Jeep at the exact same place he always does when he drives here and goes for Derek who is reading on the porch.

“So what? You order me around but you get to do nothing and read. Nice.” He says already annoyed by the guy. 

“Hello Stiles. And yes, I was reading while waiting for you to be done with whatever you where doing.” Derek is back being bitchy. So much for the understanding alpha he was the night before.

“You know what, I'm kind of sick of your training methods. I didn't ask you to teach me how to fight but how to control myself.”

“I see you're not so begging anymore.” Derek spits. “You probably think you passed the first full moon like a champ and everything's gonna be easy now.”

Stiles frowns. “You,” he starts.

“Well you're damn wrong.” Derek deadpans before Stiles can find what to say.

*

They fight. Not only the physical thing. Not like before when it was more bantering and playing 'who knows best'. Isaac is not here so Stiles lets all he anger out. He's messy in his movements, doesn't listen to half the advices he gets from Derek and he snaps a lot. The fourth time Derek seems to be done with him. “If I had known you'd be so,” he spits but doesn't get to finish his sentence.

“So what? And what would have you done, uh? Not bit me? Well maybe you should have taken a minute to think and,” he stops mid-sentence because Derek goes all red eyes and angry teeth at him. “Oh so what? Big bad Alpha is the only one allowed to complain when you ruined my fucking life? Wasn't there someone a bit better in your family to be the one left alive instead of you? Why are you even here?” He screams. When he's not talking anymore everything is quiet around them, there's not a sound coming from the forest. 

Derek's red eyes fade to an actual human eye color and Stiles watches him somehow curl up on himself, still standing. He seems suddenly small, like a kid who's been told he's been to bad for Santa to bring him presents this year. Stiles' own eyes go wide as he rehears what he just said. He runs to his car as fast as possible, once he gets there he glances back quickly. Derek hasn't moved at all and his fists are clenched on each side of his body. His face is unreadable. 

On his way home, Stiles stops to buy curly fries for him and his dad. He decides that the most he can do, the easiest thing he can do, is to try and be a good son.

When he gets home Dad's shutting the door of his own car and waits for him at the door of the house, opens it while Stiles parks. They hug quickly and enter their home. The Sheriff goes upstairs to change and Stiles tries not to burn the steaks. He gets another hug, longer and tighter, once Dad has read his note on the fridge. 

“We're not celebrating your first full moon, are we?” Dad asks, eying the fries.

“Nope. My way to say thanks for... you know.” Stiles shrugs and they start eating. He can see Dad's dying to ask questions but doesn't dare to do so. “Yeah, so, we played Scrabble all night. Old family tradition according to Derek.”

Dad's eyebrows raise. “If you don't want to talk about it that's okay son.”

“I was so tired after last night, wanted to spend the day laying in bed but no, Derek made me come for training again. I don't want to learn how to fight, dad. I just want to be able to control that thing. He doesn't want to hear that though.”

“That thing, as you call it, is part of you now, Stiles. I think it's time you take a little time to think about it. It would be good for you to accept that. From what Derek and Scott told me fighting it wont give you any control.” 

Stiles wants to ask what they told him, wonders if he knows everything that happened since Peter bit Scott or only the technical stuff about werewolves. Does he knows about the hunters that could come after him? That leads him to another question: does Argent knows about what happened to him? Did he talk to Dad to, gave him wolfs-bane bullets just in case?

“Also, you should probably keep in mind that Derek is just trying to help.”

“Yeah, well, you'll come to learn pretty soon that Derek trying doesn't mean Derek succeeding. The dude's pretty good at failing.”

Stiles stands up and puts his plate in the sink, he's still hungry, thinks he probably could eat a horse or even a bear. “I'll clean up later, don't worry about it,” he says. He grabs his keys, puts his shoes back on and goes outside. He changes his mind before he reaches his car, decides walking will clear his mind a little, it's warm outside. The sun is falling when he arrives at the movies. He didn't really plan to go there but now that he is here he figures eating an enormous quantity of pop corn while watching a movie could be nice. He ends up watching an animation that shouldn't make him laugh that much and feels better when he leaves the screening room. 

It's only once he's back in the main hall after the movie that he realizes it's Friday night and there's a lot of people. He recognizes a few people he vaguely knows from school and that's when it hits him. School. He hasn't been to school since the attack. He guesses he missed something like two weeks and his dad hasn't said anything. He didn't think about school, at all, and didn't miss it. He shrugs, hopes he'll remember to bring that up next time he talks to his dad and leaves the theater. 

Outside he takes a deep breath, fills his lungs with the fresh air and smell of the near forest. Back in the cinema it smelled like food, sugar and people, a lot of people, a lot of different scents that mixed up with each other. It didn't bother him back there but being outside feels like a relief. 

Walking to his house he thinks a little further about that smell thing. At home it smells like him and dad, plus something that screams home. He probably didn't noticed it before because he spent most of his time at the house. Once he is inside he tries to find what exactly it smells like but can seem to put words on it. He swings by the kitchen to see that his dad has cleaned it all, only leaving a pack a gummy-bears on the table with a little note. That was supposed to be your dessert, it reads.

He finds his bedroom window open. He throws his favorite sweets on his bed and goes to close it. His hoodie is on the edge with his phone. The screen lights up before a tiny sound rings. He reads the message just sent by Derek with an annoying sigh. You forgot this. We'll work on your focus tomorrow. 

“Yeah, right,” he answers to his empty room. He has already decided he wont go there anymore, what they're doing is useless, and Derek seemed to think he could learn on his own when Stiles first came to him. 

He grabs his hoodie and puts it on his dresser before closing the window. Phone in hand he goes for his bed, takes off his shoes but doesn't bother with his clothes and lets his body fall on the mattress. He opens the pack of gummy-bears and stuffs two in his mouth. He stares at the ceiling and takes a deep breath. It smells like chocolate which isn't surprising at all. It smells like he remembered earlier while walking home, but there is something else. He looks for where the new scent comes from for a while and gets up from his bed. He takes his hoodie in his hands and sniffing at it. He feels stupid at first, then he closes his eyes and breathes in deeper. He goes for the bathroom and grabs the tee-shirt he left there the night before. It smells like his room, like himself which is logical but the scent he caught near the window and on his hoodie is there too. 

It smells like Derek. And it smells really fucking good.

At first Stiles contemplates the idea of burying his face in the hoodie again, he almost goes for it. It smells like the woods, warm and reassuring. When he realizes what he is about to do, he decides it's time for a washing machine.


	4. Chapter Three

On Sunday night, when Dad is about to leave for a night shift, Stiles asks him about school.

“Sometimes there are things more important than school, Stiles.” Is the only answer he gets. 

The next morning he decides to go back to school, to try at least. When his alarm rings it hurts his ears, probably because he used to put it quite loud to be sure he would wake up. He gets ready and takes an enormous breakfast thinking it could prevent him from eating anyone. And he's aware it is stupid. 

It all starts smoothly. His first period teacher is his favorite, and smiles kindly at him saying he has to catch up on what he missed. Allison is surprised to see him but doesn't come to him. Lydia ignores him but it doesn't hurt like it should. Surprisingly Jackson nods at him, kind of politely, like he is acknowledging the fact that they're equals somehow. And there's Scott. 

Scott comes to him as soon as he sees him, like they parted the night before. Like absolutely nothing has changed. Wide smile, bright eyes and bouncing in the hallway. Stiles turns away without a word and enters his next class. His Chemistry class. That's when it all goes down. 

He should have expected it. It begins with the way Harris glares at him when he comes in. The teacher's eyes don't seem to fix on anyone else than Stiles and it stays that way for the first twenty minutes and Stiles can take that, he's used to it. Then, comes a question Stiles can't possibly find the answer and with that endless remarks on the fact that he couldn't since he was missing for the last two weeks. He knows that coming back like that without even a note from his dad was stupid. Listening at Harris is annoying him and soon he feels anger rushing through his body. He imagines picking some acid bottle and poor it all on the man. He smiles at the mental image of his teacher's skin burning.

“Stiles,” he hears somehow calling him as quietly as possible while Harris is writing some equation on the blackboard. “Stiles,” he recognizes the voice as Scott's and turns to him.

“What.” He says, slightly more aggressive than expected.

“Careful man, I can hear you heartbeat,” Scott whispers.

“Is it a problem for you? Need me to stop that?”

“Look, I know,” Scott doesn't get to finish his sentence, Stiles stops him. “Stop talking to me, the fucker has already enough to be pissed at me.”

He turns back towards the front of the classroom right before Harris is done with his writing and facing the class again. Stiles takes a deep breath and tries to calm down, to forget the beginning of the lesson and start over but he's still angry and can't seem to stop that. The next time Harris is distracted someone else calls him.

“Stilinski, stop that.” None other that Jackson fucking Whittemore tells him. “Get the fuck out of here.” 

Stiles decides to ignore him. It's not like Harris is going to let him go. He feels his breath shorten. He is angry and the fear to be unable to control his body and shift just like that in class makes him panic which makes everything worse. He can feel the weight of his phone in the pocket of his pants and wonders if he should discretely text his dad, or even Derek if it can help. But it's Allison Argent who saves him in the end.

“Mr, Harris,” he hears her call, lifting up her right hand. “Stiles is feeling sick can I take him to the nurse, please?” She smiles and just like that, he's out of the room. 

“Thanks,” he says once they are in the empty hallway. “I'm just gonna go...” he doesn't finish his sentence because to be honest he has no idea where to go right now. 

“I'm gonna wait outside with you, Scott already texted Derek. He's coming to pick you up.”

Stile is still breathing hard when they sit outside near the parking lot. It takes less than ten minutes for Derek to show up. While they're waiting Allison tries to help him to calm down. She speaks with a soft voice until Stiles can't take it anymore and asks the question he wanted to ask since that first visit after the attack.

“What are you doing?”

Allison doesn't say anything for a moment, she just stares at him as if Stiles face can help her find the right answer.

“I'm trying to help,” she says simply.

“Why? Couple of months ago you wanted to kill every single wolf in this town and now there's a new one and you try to help? It makes no sense, unless you wanna train me as your dog or something, which, by the way, would be more effective with Scott.”

She doesn't get the time to give him an answer, Derek's car is stopping in the parking lot and he gets out fast, walks towards them without even turning the gas off or closing the door.

“You shouldn't be here,” Derek says to Allison.

“It was the only way to get him out of there. He was starting to shift.”

“What?” Stiles asks. He didn't realized that, probably too focused on the fear that it could actually happen.

“Yes, you kind of clawed at your table.”

“Alright, Stiles, in the car. Allison, you should go back in class.”

“My car's here, I'm not leaving it here!” Stiles protest.

“Yes you are.” Derek grabs him by the neck and leads him to passenger sit of his car. He closes the door and Stiles opens hit right away. He tries to get out of the car and Derek turns back to him with red eyes and fangs. Stiles sits, puts his belt on and doesn't say anything. 

They drive off in silence. Stiles doesn't want to talk to Derek, doesn't want to be here with him, but he understands that he is in no position to protest and couldn't escape the alpha, or fight him. He feels a bit calmer than before, the anger and fear both leaving his body and mind slowly. When his breathing is back to normal he glances at Derek besides him. He watches his tight grip on the wheel, his tense jaw, then he listens around him. The car makes way less noise than his own and he can hear Derek's beating heart. It beats really fast. And there's his scent, the same one he wanted to bury his face in the other night. He wonders if it is a pack thing, if he's seeking for comfort in the scent of his alpha and not the attraction he has always felt towards the guy rushing back to the surface.

Underlying what Stiles supposes is Derek scent, there is something else he can't quite put a word on. It will probably take time to be able to match up scents and emotions.

“Where are we going,” he asks when he sees they're not heading in the direction he though.

“At mine's.”

“Dude, you're house is kind of in the opposite direction. See that forest over there?” he points at the rear-view mirror. “That's where you're house is.”

“I moved in a new place. And that's where we're going. Now shut up.”

“Rude.”

*

The place is not much. Stiles doesn't comment but he thinks it seriously lacks in furniture. It's dark and cold. It's not welcoming but Stiles can't ignore the fact that it is an enormous improvement from the burnt out shell of a house. 

“You weren't supposed to be at school,” Derek tells him.

“I already missed two weeks.” Stiles wanders off a little before stopping in front of the windows. He looks at the view for a little while appreciating how far he can see with his improved sight. He can hear Derek is doing something in a corner but doesn't care about it. His gaze follows birds flying in the sky and he blocks everything away.

Stiles almost jumps when Derek tear him out of his thoughts.

“Here,” he just says. 

Stiles turn his head on the right, where Derek's standing holding a steaming mug in each hand, offering him the white one. It has a wolf's silhouette on it. Stiles eyebrows raise as he takes in the sweet smell. 

“Thanks,” he says, grabbing the mug of hot chocolate. 

They stand still next to each other, drinking their hot beverage for a couple of minutes before Derek breaks the silent. “Do you trust me?”

“Why?” Stiles chooses to say because he's not sure of the answer right now.

“You need to trust me to accept my help.”

Stiles wants to laugh at how wrong this sentence sounds. Derek is talking about trust and accepting help. “Right, cause you're so good at those things.”

“I don't want to fight again. I'm the one who bit you, I need to take my responsibility.”

“The way you did with Boyd and Erica? No thanks.”

Stiles walks away, puts his mug on the table and goes for the door. “Before you blame everything on me, maybe you should know what you're talking about.” He hears Derek say. He doesn't turn back, ignores the questions that sentence just raised and the fact that for the first time Derek responded to his verbal attack. 

Outside he sighs because he's going to have to walk to the school where his car still is before going back home. Before he's on the street he sees Jackson's car pull over and he stops. He frowns and look at not only Jackson but Lydia and Isaac get out of the Porsche. Isaac hurries for the building doors while Jackson follows at a normal pace. Against all odds it's Lydia who walks to him and stops once she's at arm length of his body. She points her index finger at his chest and sighs. “You're smarter than that,” she tells him. Stiles doesn't get to think about something to say back, she disappears inside as the two other did.

*

When Stiles gets home it doesn't take him long to understand he's in for a talk with his dad. He sits down on the opposite side of the living room table and waits.

“Care to explain what you were doing at school?”

“I missed two weeks, dad,” Stiles sighs. 

“You were not ready.”

“Scott came to school every day after he got bitten,” Stiles shouts, standing up.

“Sit down, Stiles, please,” dad says, voice soft. “This is not about Scott. You two are completely different people, each of you can't deal the same way with this.”

“But I don't want to have to deal with that, dad. I don't want any of that.”

“I need you to listen to me carefully son. Can you do that?”

“Yes.”

“A couple of weeks ago, a former murderer suspect knocked on my door with your unconscious body in his arms. The time it took him to put you in you bed, Scott was here too and the three of us spent hours talking. Derek took care of the technical part and Scott told me how helpful you've been when he was in a situation you were about to be in. Now I know you didn't want this but I'm gonna give you two things to think about. One: Scott is your best friend, has been since you were four. He'll be there for you the way you have been. He will do his best to help you go through this. Let him in. Two: Why do you think Derek bit you?”

“Well that's an easy one,” Stiles interrupts. “I know he never wanted me in his pack, but hey, he'd rather take that than the guilt he'd have felt after letting me die. As for-”

“No!” Dad says, he raises his voice and Stiles lowers his gaze. “He couldn't let you die! And I'll always be grateful for that. He knows what it feels like to have no family left and thanks to him I don't have too know myself.”

Stiles stares at his dad, mouth hanging open. He tries to speak even though he doesn’t know what to say to that.

“I'm not done yet,” dad says before he can start some stupid babbling. “I know you didn't want that to happen but it did. You know that there are things in life that happen and there's absolutely nothing we can do to go back no matter how much we want to.” Stiles winces at that because he knows his dad isn't talking about his new werewolfiness anymore but about his mom. “The only thing you can do now, is keep going and accept that things are gonna be different. It's gonna be hard, but I'm here and you're friends will be.”

That night Stiles dreams about his mom. He's in dark waters, his wrists and calves tied with rope enabling him from swimming to the surface. The moon is shining above him and he begs her to make him shift in the hope that he could free himself with his claws. And suddenly the moon is replaced by his mom, she's glowing like an angel. He stops moving and watches as she swims in his direction. The water is cold as hell but Stiles can't move. “Stiles, sweetie,” she says. Her voice is reverberating around him like it would in an empty room but not in the water. It's soft and just like he remembers. “Those ropes aren't tied. You don't need anyone to help you out of them. You can do it, baby.” she smiles kindly and chuckles as a fish swims in her hair.

Stiles looks at his wrists and realizes that he just needs to pull to be free. He brings his hands to his mouth, take the loose end of the rope between his teeth and pulls. Once his hands are free he can take off the rope on his feet. His mom is not here anymore when he looks up. Lydia is there instead her eyes reproachful. Then the moon is back and he swims in its direction to reach the surface. 

When Stiles wakes up he's breathing fast and his clawed hands are tight on the sheets of the bed. He takes a little time to calm down. A glance at the clock tells him it's the middle of the night but he goes for a shower anyway. He puts clothes on, his shoes, grabs his keys and practically runs to his car. He drives slightly above the speed limitation on his way to Scott's. 

There are no lights on when he arrives. He hesitates, it's not a school night, he climbs to Scott's bedroom window, smiling. Now he gets to do that too. Through the window he sees his best friend is asleep and decides not to wake him up. He jumps down on the ground, and goes back to his Jeep. It take him only a couple of minutes sitting in front of the wheel to choose his next destination. He shrugs and turn the gas on.

He doesn’t find the right street, he didn't pay attention earlier or when he walked back. He knows he is close by but takes the wrong turn three times and gets annoyed. He stops the car on the side of the road and gets out. He take a deep breath and think about trying to find Derek by smell. He manages to find the building and as he's in the elevator thinks the little training he did with Derek paid off. 

He stops in front of the door. He can't hear anything inside of the loft at first and wonders if anyone's home. He saw Derek's car before going in but he could be out for a run or something that doesn't necessitate a car. He closes his eyes and focuses on the noises he can hear. There are four people inside, one is probably asleep. He pick's out the sound of pen on paper, and the pages of a book is flipped. He expected Derek to be alone which would have made everything easier. He waits, listening, because now he is not sure of what to do anymore. Then he hears footsteps approaching on the other side of the door and soon it's being open and Jackson is standing there.

“You aware what time it is?” Jackson asks before walking back to what he was probably doing. Stiles watches him sit on an armchair in front of a TV, those things weren't there earlier, there's a muted Lacrosse game on the screen. Not far from there is the sofa, Derek sits in the left corner, elbow on the armrest, holding a book with one hand. It's Isaac who is sleeping, his long body taking all the length of the sofa. His head rests on Derek's laps, and Derek's right hand fingers are in his curly hair. Weird, Stiles thinks. Further in the room, back to him and facing the windows, Lydia is sitting at the table, frantically writing on her notebook.

“Aren't you gonna come in, Stiles?” Asks Lydia, not bothering to turn around or look away from what she's writing. For a second Stiles wonders how she knows it's him and he freaks out at the idea that she might have been bitten as well. And he sees his reflection in the windows.

Isaac wakes up, and gets up. He walks to Stiles, grabs his arms and pulls him inside before closing the door. “Cold,” he says, and goes back to his spot on the couch. 

“What do you want Stiles,” Derek asks, shutting his book and putting it on the table where his feet rested before. 

Stiles takes a deep breath, now that he's here he wont back out even if it means having an audience. “I need to talk about what happened that night.”

“What's the last thing you remember?” Derek asks when Stiles is sitting in the armchair Jackson just freed. Jackson waits by the door while Lydia packs her things. Then it's just Derek, Isaac and him now.

“I was taking the trash out when Peter came out of nowhere. He chased me down into the woods, I tried to follow the direction of the house, thought you'd be there. He caught me, obviously and thinking about it I don't understand why it took him so long. And then... I don't really remember, just that suddenly I heard you calling my name, and I guess you lifted me up because I felt like flying away and I could see the skies through the trees sometimes.”

“I was at the house, wouldn't have if Jackson hadn't pissed me of but that's another story. I heard you scream and when I found you I had no other choice Stiles. I wasn't going to let you die there even if it meant doing exactly what Peter wanted.”

“What do you mean, what Peter wanted?”

“I know he offered you the bite when he was still an alpha. You refused it and he knew I wouldn't force it on you. But he knew I'd rather bite you than watch you die. You're one of us now and that's what he wanted. Except he's not here to see if he was right about you.”

“About me?”

“He thought you'd be good at it. Being a werewolf.”

“Am I?”

“I don't know yet.”

Silence takes place for a little while, Stiles thinks over what's just been said, he sees Isaac dozing off and Derek's looking in the direction of the windows.

“I'm gonna go to bed,” Isaac says at some point. He gets up, gives Stiles a tentative smile, lets Derek press his right shoulder and goes for the stairs. 

“He's living here with you?” Stiles asks, a bit surprised.

“Where else?”

“And Jackson and Lydia spend their evenings here.”

“Lydia convinced Jackson to let me train him. Things kinda evolved from there. And they're helping me out looking for Boyd and Erica, which is good now that Peter's not here to do that anymore.”

“Yeah, about that,” Stiles wasn't really comfortable talking about Peter right now but he wanted to make sure of one thing. “you said you killed him, but he was able to come back to life once, after he survived a fire. What makes you sure he wont come back again?”

“I'm not sure you wanna hear all the gory details. But be sure it was taken care of.”

“Good to hear.”

“You should go back home, Stiles. Get some sleep.”

“Yeah.” Stiles stands up, and goes for the door. He opens it as he hears Derek grab his book and open it where he stopped earlier. Stiles turns back, and takes a deep breath before talking. “About what I said,” he starts, knowing Derek understands what he's talking about, “I'm sorry.”

“It's OK.”

“No it's not okay.” He shakes his head slowly. “I shouldn't have said that. And I'm sorry I did. You're trying.”

Stiles doesn't let Derek enough time to answer before he flies out and closes the door behind him. As he looks for his car he thinks about what he said and realizes how true it is. Derek is trying and Stiles has no right to be so angry at him when all he did to him was save his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments and kudos, they go straight to my little heart!  
> What do you think is gonna happen now?


	5. Chapter Four

 

The following week is a busy one. During the day, Stiles goes to the house in the preserve and trains with Derek. As for his nights, they are dedicated to catch up what he missed at school before he falls in the deepest sleep, exhausted.

 

Training is different now. He listens at Derek, does what he's told without arguing much. He progresses faster than when he was questioning every single exercise Derek proposed. Isaac and Jackson join them after school and they all spend the Saturday in the woods.

 

On Sunday he goes at Scott's, they talk for a really long time. Scott can see his friend has a lot he needs to say and let him do most of the talk. It's surprisingly easy for Stiles to let out what weights on his heart.

 

Stiles starts with, “I'm sorry I shut you out,” and doesn't let Scott talk. “I was angry at you first. I called you that night and you didn't answer your phone. So, I thought it was your fault. Then, I told myself that you never blamed me for dragging you in the preserve that night. You could have but you didn't. That's why I couldn't come to you. I just.” He stops and takes a long, deep breath. “I didn't want you to have to deal with me because you're not responsible for that. For anything.”

 

They don't talk about it more than necessary. They spend an hour playing video game and they're okay.

 

When Stiles goes back to school after nearly a month he has a note from his dad. It's an enormous lie but nobody ask any question and everything is okay. He's in control, doesn't feel totally lost in his classes. Stiles is finally able to trust his dad's words when he says everything's gonna be okay.

 

*

 

Time flies and just like that the school year is almost over. Derek disappears for two weeks, between two full moons because Stiles his honest when the alpha asks him if he feels capable of staying with the others instead of him. While Derek is wherever he went, doing whatever that is that he couldn't do in Beacon Hills Stiles decides to train anyway. He works hard, tries to focus his mind and senses like Derek taught him. He's surprised when Isaac joins him, they're not really friends, even though they hang out together sometimes and fight like animals every other day. Stiles is happy to have a partner in training though, it's more fun.

 

Together they invent the stupidest game and laugh at the face Derek will make when he'll be back and they ask him to play along. But the game works, so it's not that stupid. The game consists in putting some music on and shift every time they hear a word starting with a w, and shift back when there's another one. It's not as easy as it seems but they both do a lot of progress, and if Isaac wins almost all the time Stiles claims it's because he's more used to shifting and had a different training, the emergency one, what with the crazy lizard and hunters.

 

By the end of the first week, Stiles is happy to say they've become friends. He's not sure he will ever be able to say as much about everyone in the pack. He's not planing on being friends with Jackson any time soon.

 

On the second Friday, Derek texts him that he'll be back in the night. When Stiles comes back from Scott's, he's surprised to find none other than Allison Argent in his living room.

 

“Your dad let me in,” she explains, getting up from the couch. “I wanted to check up on you.” She smiles softly and Stiles remembers the last time he heard her pronounce those words.

 

“Wanna go for a walk?” he asks, because he feels like she also came looking for someone she could talk to.

 

They go out and decide to go for the woods, it's too hot outside to stay in the open while they could be sheltered from the sun by the trees.

 

“So,” Allison starts, “how are you dealing with all of this?”

 

“Not that bad, I guess _.”_

 

And just like that, they start talking and Stiles can hear he's not the only one saying things he sure wasn't planing on telling anyone. They talk about werewolves, in general, then about how Stiles feels about being one. Allison is good at listening and understanding even though she is aware she actually can't understand him. She starts speaking about how bad she feels about what she did, following her aunt and grand-father's steps. Stiles finds himself forgiving her, telling her that she's been manipulated by people she should have been able to trust. They don't spend much time talking about Scott and Stiles is glad about that, feeling like it's not his place to put his nose into.

 

“And how is it going with Derek?” she asks. There's something like disgust in her voice as she pronounce Derek's name. And Stiles realizes nobody ever told her the truth about what happened, really.

 

It's not his place to say, but he takes it this time. Spending so much time with Derek lately helped him understand the guy, he doesn't get him, but he's getting there.

 

“I'm kind of sick of all those secrets,” he says. “Derek didn't kill you mother. He did what he could to save Scott, that's all.” There's a long silence after that. Stiles gives Allison the time she needs to take that new information in.

 

Then, they speak about their mothers. They're both obviously not comfortable at first and their stories are not the same, but in the end of the day, it's quite alike. They're both kids who lost their mom to early.

 

 

*

 

Late in the night Stiles received a text from Derek. He is not sleeping despite the late hour but almost misses the ring from where his cell lays, too focused on what he's reading. He gets up from his bed and looks for the phone. It takes a while to narrow down the position of the device but he eventually remembers not taking it out of the pocket of his pants.

 

_I'm back_ , it reads.

 

Without thinking he quickly types back, _can I come over?_

 

He wouldn't say he missed Derek, it's his curiosity speaking here. He wants to know where the hell Derek went and what for. Stiles likes being told what's going on and the where and abouts of the people he hangs out with (except Jackson, but he hangs out with him because he has no other choice anyway).

 

_Bring food_ , says the fast answer. Another text arrives only a couple of seconds after. _Lots_.

 

Stiles wonders if Derek spent two weeks without eating, or maybe it was Isaac who forgot to feed himself in his alpha and surrogate brother, or father, _s_ _omething_ 's absence. He shrugs and puts his clothes back on.

 

When he arrives at the loft, he can hear it's quiet inside. Derek is speaking softly but Stiles doesn't bother listening at his words. He slides the door open and comes in like he owns the place.

 

Derek is sitting on the coffee table talking to the person on the sofa. He's holding the girl's hands in his, talking with his gaze fixed on her face. He looks incredibly soft and reassuring. Stiles is pretty sure he doesn't know the girl but he supposes she's not a dangerous enemy they're gonna have to fight. Derek wouldn't have let her in his home. He can smell that she's like them, and internally praises himself at being so good at the scent thing. He's so much better than Isaac, which is cool because the guy is an asshole when he wins races.

 

Stiles closes the door and finds three pairs of eyes looking at him when he turns around. “Hi,” he says with a wave of his hand.

 

He tries to sniff the air subtly but the emotions in the room are too mixed up and strong that his nose can't help him. He shrugs and walks to the table where he puts his back pack before getting out the food he brought. “Now I understand why you wanted lots of food,” he mutters.

 

Stiles throws a questioning look at Isaac but doesn't get any help from him. He decides to listen at what Derek is saying to the girl, guessing that if Derek didn't want him to hear he wouldn't have let him come in the first place.

 

Derek is talking about Laura. Her death. About Peter turning into a psycho alpha, and having to kill him. Twice.

 

Again, Stiles turns to Isaac and mouth “who is she?” He thinks he didn't get the answer right, he read ”his sister” and how could she be Derek sister's? Didn't the whole family died in the fire? He frowns and watches Isaac as he types on his phone before handing it to Stiles.

 

_His sister??????????_

 

_I don't know._

 

Stiles is about to type something else but he's interrupted by Derek. “Stiles, come here.”

 

He hands Isaac his phone back and makes his way to the sofa, he's half seated when he changes his mind and goes for the armchair.

 

“Cora,” Derek says, and Stiles figures it must be the girl's name. “This is Stiles. Stiles, this is my younger sister. Cora.”

 

“Yo,” Stiles says because what else is there to say anyway. He frowns when Cora doesn't answer but glares at him. Uh, Stiles thinks, she seems mean. “Just like her brother,” he mumbles.

 

“What?” Derek asks. Isaac snorts from where he's observing the scene.

 

“I said that out loud, did I?” Derek nods. And Isaac just laughs some more. The ass. “I was just thinking,” Stiles pauses searching for a better answer than the truth. He doesn’t want to lie though. “She looks like you?”

 

“Is that a question?” Derek says, one eyebrow raised.

 

“No? I mean, you're meant to look like each other, you're siblings.”

 

Isaac burst into laughter this time. Stiles wants to kill the guy but decides to store the feeling for the next time they play fight.

 

“What do you want me to say?” He asks, hands raised, palms to the ceiling.

 

Derek doesn't bother to answer. “Cora was on her way here, looking for me.”

 

And Stiles really wants to know more, ask billions of questions but he controls himself and stays quiet. There's a small smile on Derek's lips as he's watching his sister. They seem to communicate with their eyes, and somehow understand each other even though they must have not been together in a really long time. Stiles feels like an intruder, watching them in what looks like such an intimate and personal moments. He turns his eyes away and rises to his feet. He walks to the table, grabs the food he brought and goes to the kitchen, nodding at Isaac to follow him. When he looks upon his shoulder he sees Derek and Cora on their feet, standing still, face to face. Then Cora suddenly, almost aggressively, wraps her arms around Derek's neck and hides her face against his shoulder. Derek throws an unsure look at Stiles and Stiles smiles encouragingly. Derek wraps his arms around his little sister and hold her close. Stiles leaves the room with a sentiment of accomplishment even if he didn't do anything. The relief he feels in his veins, he thinks, must be Derek's.

 

Isaac helps Stiles cook, they do it silently and without bickering. Stiles feels closer to him than ever, like witnessing Derek and his sister coming together together ties something between them. It's weird, but not bad.

 

*

 

The next morning, Stiles is woken up by the sound of his window sliding open. Next thing he knows, Derek is hovering above him, watching him with en unreadable look in his eyes. Stiles takes his time to wake up fully, he came back home late last night. Apparently, being a werewolf didn't turn him in a morning person.

 

“I need your help,” Derek says after a long moment.

 

“My- What?” Stiles sits on his bed and Derek takes that as an invitation to do the same thing.

 

“I need to go get things for Cora, to the mall. And I need you to come and help me.”

 

“Why don't you ask Lydia?” Stiles whines. She's a morning person, unlike him. Or maybe she's not but she somehow manages to make everybody think that she is.

 

Derek stands up. His expression changes, he closes up again after being so open the night before. “It's okay, I understand.” And just like that he disappears through the window. Stiles jumps to his feet and lunches himself at the window. “Wait!” He yells. “Let me get ready, and buy me coffee when we get there.”

 

Stiles can't believe things changed so much that he's now willing to spend time alone with Derek. But the thing is, lately they spent a lot more time together and since they're not fighting anymore ans Stiles found himself enjoying Derek's company. Stiles wonders if he is responsible of the way their relationship started (the second time it started, their pack relationship or something), if his anger against Derek was probably an obstacle in understanding each other and being able to have a conversation without yelling.

 

*

 

They end up spending an hour in the coffee shop Stiles chooses. They eat breakfast. Derek drinks two black coffees, Stiles orders something with caramel that make Derek wince, followed by a cinnamon hot chocolate. The waffles are amazing, Stiles steals some of Derek's pancakes and they fight over the second plate they order. Derek finishes Stiles latte.

 

Derek talks about Cora, who needed some time on her own. He smiles the whole time and Stiles is genuinely happy for him. They talk about Erica and Boyd and Stiles doesn't understand why Derek didn't bring them back but doesn’t push the issue too far. In the end they talk about nothing and everything and it's nice. Stiles doesn't stop too much on the though that it feels like they're on a date. He promised himself a few weeks ago not to do something as stupid as falling in love with Derek. This scent thing that happened a couple of times can't happen again. He can't mistake his respect for his alpha for something else.

 

After breakfast they spend a lot of time wandering in the mall looking for whatever Cora would need. The only thing Stiles is proud of finding are the sleepers. Derek said that when she was a child Cora used to have a pair of rabbit sleepers and he, Laura and their two brothers and cousins had a lot of fun chasing after her when she wore them, saying they were going to eat her feet. Derek hesitates for a while when Stiles shows him the fluffy, gray sleepers. He looks conflicted, probably because he's trying to decide if it would be good thing or a bag thing.

 

“My mom used to get me Batman socks for my birthday, ever year. It was a thing.” Stiles decides to share. “My first birthday after she died, dad got me a pair. I was so angry at him when I saw them. Like he didn't have the right to do that, you know. It was our thing just my mom and I. But that night, when I went to bed I put the socks on. You know why? Because, keeping on with the tradition was a way not to forget her. It hurt, because she wasn't there but in the end she was. She is. She'll always be here with us.”

 

They stare at each other silently for a couple of minutes until the tiniest smile appears on Derek's lips.

 

“Okay,” he says. Stiles beams at him in return and they decide they're done with shopping.

 

Derek drove them to the mall so Stiles doesn’t really understands why he takes the direction of his loft instead of Stiles' house when they leave.

 

“I though, maybe,” Derek hesitates and Stiles tries not to show how adorable he thinks it is that the big guy goes so soft and unsure because of his little sister. “Maybe you could come with me.”

 

Stiles nods silently and sets his gaze on the window and the streets passing before his eyes. As surprising as it sounds, Derek's request makes him speechless. He doesn't understand what he did to be allowed to see Derek like this. Vulnerable. He wants to apologize for the shit he poured on Derek, wants to thank him, to say anything but he can't. He can't admit just like that how much of a spoiled brat he's being when all Derek did was help him survive.

 

“Okay,” he says in the end. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. It's when a soft and quiet moan escapes his mouth that he realizes it's a stupid thing to do. Derek's scent is all around him, obviously since it's his car. It's warm and Stiles is almost sure there's something happy under the tension.

 

Later, when Derek hesitates to open his loft door Stiles raises his own hand to Derek's forearm. Once he's got Derek's attention, their gaze into the others he speaks softly even though who ever is inside could hear if they wanted. “It's gonna be okay. Maybe not at first but trust me on this one.”

 

Derek takes a long breath and opens the door. Stiles bites his bottom lip, he used the magic word and for the first time he truly believes that they do trust each other. The warmth spreading in his entire body is probably not due to the temperature of the loft.

 

 

*

 

Derek drives Stiles home right on time for dinner. Stiles talks until his dad doesn't listen anymore, probably too tired for his son rambling. When he goes back to his room he falls on his bed, beaming at his ceiling. He's happy about his day and most of all proud that he helped Derek making his sister feel at home and smile slightly. When they were in the car on their way here Derek was smiling like Stiles never saw him. Stiles pictures the smile, eyes shut. He comes to the conclusion that Derek should be smiling all day long. Every day of the week. All the time. Then his mind wanders to the image Stiles opened his eyes to. Derek leaning above him while Stiles was half naked in his bed. After that, Stiles decides not to take responsibility for the images that follow and fill his mind. Happy Derek in the car. Hot and angry Derek shoving him against his bedroom door. Shirtless Derek here. Shirtless Derek there. Soak to the bones, clothes clinging all over his perfect body. Derek squirming in pain on the floor (yes, he was in pain but god that was hot as hell!). Next thing he knows, he's hard as a rock, getting out of his pants and he jerks off fast and hard, thinking _just this one time_. He comes biting hard on his pillow to muffle the sound of his moans and the name on his lips.

 

When he comes back on earth minutes later and realizes he just jerked off to the image of Derek, his now friend and alpha he slams his head on his mattress. “Oh shit.”

 

He finds his phone and sends a text to Scott. _Emergency dude_ , it says.

 

Then he sends another one. _I'm so gonna die_.

 

_Fuck._

 

_Man!_

 

_Bro emergency here!_

 

_HELPPPP!_

 

_Scott dud-_ , he doesn't finish typing that last one because Scott is busting into his room.

 

“What? What's going on?”

 

Scott is panicked, wears only one shoe. Stiles is glad to see that his friend's priorities have been realigned. Then Scott's gaze falls on Stiles half naked body and he frowns.

 

“Dude? What the fuck?”

 

Stiles grabs his pillow to hide himself and asks his friend to get out of his room until further notice. After he showered quickly and put clean clothes on he finds Scott watching TV in the living room.

 

“Sorry,” he says, contrite. “didn't expect you to come.”

 

“What was this about?”

 

“Uh.” It sounds stupid now. Stiles has no idea what is the best way to say _I jerked off_ _thinking about_ _Derek_ without Scott dying on his couch. So he says exactly that, adds “and I think the problem might be slightly deeper than that.”

 

And it is, he knows it when Scott tells him that he never wanted to snuggle against Derek because he smells good (Scott even texts Isaac and _Jackson_ to asks if they do, because Derek is their alpha not his and maybe it's a pack thing. They say no.). And Scott says the only scents that draw him are Allison's and his mom's (in a totally different way, he feels the need to clarify).

 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck and fuck.” He says. “Why do I always do that?” He whines, hoping Scott might have an answer and a way to stop him. “Fuck,” he repeats, because Scott smiles apologetically.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay, i was busy with some celebrating and then I didn't have any kind of internet connection...  
> let me know if you enjoyed this new part !


	6. Chapter Five

They are all out of school for the summer at the end of the next week. Stiles is glad to be done with school for a while. He figures he will have plenty of time to learn how to be a good werewolf without feeling guilty about missing school so much. Lydia throws a small party and they have plenty of fun. Stiles relaxes more than he has in a really long time and it's good. He spends some time with Scott (when he's not at work), they play video game or go in the woods with the other to play fight. It seems like for once things are good and wont turn to shit the next minutes. It's nice.

 

  
Stiles is reading in his bedroom when Dad comes back from work in the middle of the night. Dad stops at his door still in his Sheriff uniform and waits for Stiles to finish his paragraph when he sees the raised hand.

 

“How was work,” Stiles asks. Dad comes in the room, sits on the desk chair and they chat about nothing for a little while, like they have all the time in the world. Then Dad makes a face, hesitates before saying, “so, I couldn't miss when the next full moon is.”

 

“Yeah,” Stiles can only say.

 

“Do you want me to be here or?”

 

“I think it'd be better if I was with Derek. You know, safer. But I don't know, what with his sister being back and everything.”

 

“It'll be alright, son.”

 

When Derek shows up at his window the next afternoon Stiles is pretty sure his dad talked to him. Which, _uh, weird_. “Cora wants to be out tomorrow, so Scott is going with her. They're all going.”

 

“And you're not?” Stiles asks. He knows where this is going but doesn't want to show how warm inside the idea makes him feel.

 

“I thought you'd like to stay in.”

 

“Good thinking, big guy.”

 

Derek nods and he's out the door without another word. Stiles doesn't mind, they're all going to gather at the loft tonight, Scott thinks they should spend some werewolf time all together and Derek agreed. Stiles is still a bit surprised by that but he likes Scott's idea.

 

“Thank you,” he says to his room. He knows Derek is still close enough to hear him.

 

 

*

 

Stiles stays at the loft that night, already jittery even if the full moon is only the next day. Derek gives him blankets Stiles wraps himself into on the sofa. Stiles never climbed the stairs but apparently Cora and Isaac have their rooms upstairs. Derek sleeps in his bed only a few feet away. In the dark, Stiles can hear his breathing and heart beat slowing down as he falls asleep. The steady and calm rhythm of his heart beat lulls Stiles to sleep no long after.

 

Stiles wakes up slowly the next morning. He doesn't open his eyes right away but takes his time to listen at the noises around him. It seems that Derek is still asleep, he can hear the two others are not though. They're talking upstairs, Stiles doesn’t want to intrude so he doesn't listen at their conversation. He rises to his feet and stops by the bathroom before looking for something nice for breakfast. When he opens the fridge it's fairly obvious that he has no idea what the others would like for breakfast. He ends up only making coffee. As he waits for it to be ready he goes back to the couch, folds his blankets. He can hear Derek is on his way to the world of the livings when his breathing isn't as regular anymore. He goes towards the bed and just looks at him. Derek did this to him a couple of times, it's payback. His face is going to be hilarious when he will open his eyes and find Stiles lurking above him. Stiles watches Derek rub his face against his pillow and bites his bottom lip. _I need my mom_ , he thinks as he realizes he's probably really, truly falling in love for the first time.

 

Then Derek opens his eyes and sits in the bed fast. “Stiles?” he asks, “you okay?”

 

Stiles realizes his heart is beating fast and his hands are clutching at Derek's comforter. Derek's hand is warm on his as he says, “you have to calm down Stiles.” His voice is still a bit sleepy but soft and reassuring.

 

It's too early to start with the panic attacks, he thinks. He concentrates on Derek's breathing and heart-beat and manages to calm down rapidly. He can feel the brief moment of hesitation before Derek scoots over to the further end of the bed and drags Stiles with him. It's weird at first, because Derek doesn't cuddle and Stiles wonders where he got such idea. His heart clenches when he thinks that maybe Derek did what he wants someone to do for him on his own family's death anniversary. He falls back asleep in a matter of minutes.

 

The second time Stiles wakes up, it's almost noon and he's glad to know that a big part of the day has passed already. He turns on his back, snuggles in the warm comforter. It just smells amazingly good. He hears someone chuckle not far away. It's Derek. Derek's chuckling. Since when Derek chuckles, exactly? Stiles looks at him, eyebrows raised. Derek's on the sofa, back to the armrest, legs bent and a book resting on his knees. It's quiet upstairs and there's no sign of anyone, only two heart beats in the place.

 

“I'm hungry,” Stiles grumbles. “Like the wolf!” he almost falls when he gets up, feet entangled in the comforter. “What's for breakfast?” He makes his way to the sofa and lets his body collapse on the free spot at Derek's feet. Derek's bare feet. “Uh.”

 

“What, uh?” Derek asks.

 

“Nothing. Feed me.”

 

“Why, of course my Lord. What would you like to eat?”

 

There's a stupid smile on Derek's lips. Stiles squints at him and makes an offended face. “You're making fun of me?”

 

“Never.”

 

And Derek marks the page of his book, puts it on the coffee table before getting up. “So? Burnt coffee?”

 

“Oh shit, I totally forgot about that.”

 

“Yeah. Cora smelled it before it was too late.” Derek shrugs.

 

“Where are they anyway?”

 

“Preserve.”

 

Derek eats breakfast with him but Stiles is pretty sure he already did earlier. They don't talk much, the almost silence is nice. Almost silence. With the extra sensitive hearing there's no silence anymore. Never. He can hear all the sound of his house, the street. In here too, they are noises he's never heard before, never thought he was not hearing.

 

Stiles thinks it's nice, simply hanging out like this. He likes that.

 

When he comes back from a long and warm shower Derek is reading again. “Didn't know you liked reading so much,” he says.

 

“Why do you think there's a bookshelf over there?” Stiles raises an eyebrow.

 

“There's plenty of things you do I don't question, dude.” That's half a joke.

 

“I went to College, Stiles.”

 

“Really? Are you telling me you're smart? What was your major?”

 

“History.”

 

“That's cool, man. So you are smart then.” Stiles smiles when Derek doesn't answer. He grabs his phone he let on the table last night and finds a text from his dad. _I'm off to work. You can call anytime_.

 

Stiles closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He goes to the bookshelf and randomly chooses a book. He knows he probably won't be able to concentrate much but he can at least try to read for a little while. Take his mind off of reality.

 

“Did you have pets when you were a kid?” Stiles asks between two chapters, notices he's been reading for an hour.

 

Derek raises his gaze from his own book and looks at Stiles silently. Stiles is wondering if he crossed a line when Derek answers. “A cat. Laura had a turtle at some point but it escaped. And there was this fox.”

 

“A fox?” Stiles is sure he could do some joke about wild animals being friends but he restrains himself for no apparent reason.

 

“I found him in the woods when I was eight. Hurt by a hunter trap, I guess. I took him home and we adopted him. His name was Snuggle. He slept in my bed.”

 

“Snuggle?” Stiles laughs. “And the cat?”

 

“The cat was Crazy Jumper, Laura choose it because it was always jumping everywhere. I kind of hated it cause he always attacked me for no reason.”

 

“I had a cat too. My mom and dad brought it back when they went to the last appointment with her doc before she had to leave for the hospital. Cookie.”

 

Stiles goes back to his book. He thinks none of them want to go further in that conversation. His throat is already tight.

 

“I'm gonna make some tea. Want some?”

 

The thing Derek calls tea is disgusting and Stiles has to be really strong not to spit his first sip immediately. “What did you put in that?”

 

Derek has a guilty face when Stiles stare at him in horror. “It's a thing my mother used to make to calm us during the full moon. I know it's not god but you get used to it, and it works.”

 

It does. Stiles has never tasted anything that bitter but he supposes it's worth it when his body starts to relax by the time he has drunk the whole cup. He wonders why Derek never gave this to Scott or his other betas.

 

*

 

They eat pizza and apple pie around seven, when they're both starting to be hungry and tired of reading.

 

“Where does it come from?” Stiles asks pointing at the pie.

 

“Cora made it this morning when you were asleep.”

 

It's delicious but Stiles can't finish his slice. Home made desserts reminds him about his mom and happy childhood. He feels bad and reaches for his phone. “I'm gonna call my dad,” he says. He did this on most of his full nights, it helps.

 

He walks to the windows, cell phone at his ear, waiting for his dad to pick up the phone. He doesn't answer. Stiles hangs up and tries again. Three times in a row he calls and there's no answer. He tries to rationalize, he knows Dad can't always pick up the phone when he's at work. Stiles' hands are shaking and he tries to call once more. He calls the Station but the receptionist tells him his dad's not there at the moment.

 

The phone falls on the floor, and it's hard to breath. Suddenly Derek's here, wrapping his arms around Stiles and closing the space between their bodies. One of Derek's hands raises to Stiles head and he starts whispering reassuring words softly to his ear.

 

Stiles' phone rings then and Stiles falls to the floor when he reaches for it, his legs weak. He picks up quickly and lets his dad talk him through the panic while Derek is on the floor with him holding him close, hand tracing soothing circles on his back.

 

And Stiles is confused. Until today it always was his dad who grounded him through panic attack after panic attack. He faced full moon nights the same way but tonight Derek is not only giving him advices and preventing him from running away to eat someone. Derek is right here for him and he doesn't know what to do with that.

 

*

 

It takes a long time for Stiles to be calm again. His jeans are good to throw away after he clawed at them so much. The mark of his fangs has healed on Derek's forearm. Stiles didn't look but the back of Derek's shirt is probably in pieces and there must be claw marks all over his back. Derek didn't say anything, didn't pull away or complained about his clothes and floor. He gritted his teeth and held Stiles close the whole time.

 

Stiles is in the bathroom, washing his bloody hands. He splashes cold water on his face before going back in the main room. He knows the moon is not done with him but it seems like she's giving him a break to collect himself. He sits on the sofa and Derek hands him a new cup of the bitter drink that helped him in the afternoon. It's not as effective now that the moon is full but he's not as blood thirsty than he knows he would be without it.

 

“Why don't you just tie me?” Stiles asks, gaze wandering everywhere to find something to settle onto.

 

“I don't need to. I can stop you if it goes to far. You know that.” The last part almost sounds like a question, like Derek isn't sure Stiles knows that but hopes he does. Stiles is not afraid of hurting anyone when he has Derek looking after him. He knows Derek overpowers him and even if Stiles was stronger Derek could always flash his red alpha eyes at him to remind him who's in charge.

 

“When I played board games with mom, I always got distracted and ended going away to do something else in the middle of the game. Once she threatened me to tie me to my chair. I didn't know it was a joke.”

 

“Wanna talk about her?” Derek asks gently.

 

And Stiles talks about his mom until the moon is done with playing with them. They go to bed early in the morning, right after Cora and Isaac come back from their night in the woods. Stiles goes for the sofa when he's in his pajamas but Derek says “Come here”, from his bed, so Stiles does. They talk a little more before they both fall asleep both on their side, facing each other.

 

 

*

 

Stiles is woken up by low voices. He gets out from under the comforter and glances at the door where his dad is standing awkwardly while talking to Derek. Derek seems just as uncomfortable than him.

 

“Dad,” Stiles manages to say, still sleepy. “I'll be out in a minute, you can wait outside if you want,” he suggests, sitting at the edge of the bed.

 

It's almost funny how the air seems less heavy when both Dad and Derek hear that. Dad does as Stiles suggested and Derek closes the door behind him. Stiles gets up and grabs his jeans and changes his shirt quickly. “We were just wondering if we should wake you up or not.” Derek says, and he's standing right next to Stiles now.

 

Stiles smiles softly and looks up at Derek, shoes now tied up. “Thank you,” he whispers. “Really.”

 

Derek is acting all weird, doesn't seem to know what to do with his hands or what to set his eyes onto. Stiles feels the urge to hug this big guy who's acting like a baby in front of him. He just does, because after the day and night they spent he's pretty sure Derek won't back away from him. He's right. Derek hugs him back. Then there is this moment where they end up faces so close, breathing the same air and Stiles doesn't know what to do. He closes his eyes when a warm hand raises up to settle against his cheek. He knows his eyes are probably looking at Derek with hope when he opens them again. Derek has always had the same crazy eyes color that make you want you to weep until you're just lying on the floor, always had the same perfect face, cute ears and teeth Stiles would have probably made fun of if they had been friends when they were kids, but he's looking at Stiles with so much softness, there's something so warm in eyes, Stiles thinks he's the most beautiful thing he's ever laid eyes on. His breath is short, shaky and his heart is crazy in his chest. He can hear Derek's, it's way faster than usual, irregular. Stiles wants Derek to kiss him but can't find the nerve to do it himself.

 

Derek takes a short breath and speaks really softly, looking him in the eyes. “I'm not quite ready for that, Stiles.”

 

Stiles is about to back off of the hug but Derek holds him firmly, keeping him where he is. “But I will be.”

 

And that's all Stiles needs right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sincerely hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It's a bit of a special one, I guess. What do you think?  
> The next one is a little bit different (I'll let you discover how, soon).
> 
> Thanks to everyone who's reading the story, clicks on the "kuddo" button and for the lovely comments (they make me super happy, so thanks for taking the time to leave some!). I feel like the story is going where I wanted it to go in the first place, and I'm glad.


	7. Chapter Six - Part One

Derek is proud of himself. Yes. He is.

 

Today when he went grocery shopping he gave a small smile to the old lady he grabbed the tea for. She said “thank you, young man.” It's not the only thing Derek is proud of himself for. This last couple of weeks he spent some time with his little sister, _his sister he hasn't seen in years_ , and they're not tip-toeing around each other so much anymore. Talking is becoming increasingly easier. They did a long hike three days ago. It was good, they had fun scaring a few people here and there. Cora wears the sleepers he bought with Stiles and he sees the little girl he used to know.

 

He wrote to Erica and Boyd. It took him a little while to put to use the address they gave him when he found them but he finally did it. He basically said he understood and hoped there where not too much hard feelings. He kind of poured his heart on paper and as hard as it was, in the end he felt like he could breathe. Just breathe.

 

This morning, he sat down with Isaac for breakfast. Isaac is not easy to talk to, mainly because just like Derek himself he's not one to express his feelings. They both stared at their plates and Derek said as much as possible with the less words possible. Cora came back from shopping for her bonding weekend in the wild with Isaac, and when they were about to leave, Isaac stopped and turned to Derek.

 

“I don't care about what happened. You gave me a safe home, in the end. Friends, too. You can fuck up as much as you want, I'll always be grateful for that,” he said.

 

Derek promised to himself not to fuck up but make up for all his mistakes.

 

His relationship with Scott is not the greatest yet, but they made a lot of progress lately. They still have a lot of things to sort out and Derek sincerely hopes they will be able to do that. He'd like to be able to trust him some day.

 

Then there's Stiles. _Stiles_. Derek could read a book, hell he could read twenty volumes of an encyclopedia about Stiles and still, there would be surprises, things he's not able to understand about him.

 

There are many unexplained things out there in the world. Derek doesn't really care if the abominable snow man exists, or why the hell ships and aircrafts disappear when going through the Bermuda Triangle. He doesn't want to know if the thing he saw with Laura ten years ago was a shooting star, a plane, a dragon or even an UFO. There is something more important he can't seem to explain. That would be how he ended up falling in love with Stiles. But he did. And maybe there's not need to understand how or why. It just happened and now he has to live with this.

 

Turns out, it's not that hard. Maybe he should have freaked out when he realized he was falling for a kid, an amazingly annoying one on top of it. Or, you know, annoyingly amazing. Derek had to face his feelings when he laid eyes on the dying body of the teenager, he didn't really had the time to freak out back then. Things went so fast after he bit Stiles that he didn't take the time to think about it. Now he's just used to it. And now, top news, Stiles is done with hating him.

 

Derek stuffs his mouth with his new cookies to hide the smile spreading on his lips when he thinks about the last time he saw Stiles. He's pretty sure they almost kissed. And Derek is proud of himself for managing to ask Stiles to wait a little bit. He needs to sit down and actually think about it. He needs a little time to ask himself if he really want this, only because he doesn't want to hurt Stiles. He needs to somehow get ready to let Stiles burst into his life and shake everything upside down. He knows that's what Stiles would do to him and he is far from thinking it is a bad thing. Stiles would do great things to him. Stiles makes him smile, for one.

 

And last but not least, Derek called an old friend of his mom, the therapist she sent his human brother when he had a hard time dealing with the fact that he was the only human child of the family. He called her and she accepted to see him at the end of next week. When Cora will come back he'll ask her if she wants to go too, it was her idea after all.

 

So. Yep. Derek is pretty proud of himself, a first in a really long time.

 

It's warm outside and the sun is high in the sky but Derek decides to go for a run anyway. He hesitates for a while between the park or the preserve. Lately he avoided running in the woods around his childhood house, simply because they're full of bad memories but today he feels good in his head and body. And the squirrels of the park are way more aggressive than the ones that live in the woods. The preserve it is, then.

 

He runs for two hours, glad to be able to wear only shorts (he puts shoes and a shirt on when he's in the park, for the grandmothers and kids' sakes). When he gets back he takes a long shower to relax his muscles. It's been a while since the last time he's been that sweaty after a good run. He feels light and in peace. It's nice to feel that good after such a long time spent feeling like crap.

 

He goes out. He hits the dinner that opened while he was gone and he never had the chance, or desire, to try. The place is nice, welcoming. The food is good and he thinks about Stiles as he eats curly fries. A private smile settles on his lips and he takes a vanilla milkshake to go before walking to the movie theater. He doesn't remember the last time he went to a place like that. There was that one time in New York with Laura, but it was not long after they left their home, he was distracted. He watched a movie from Stiles' rooftop once (but that's his secret).

 

That night, he goes to bed looking back on his day and thinks, _that was nice_. And he thinks about Stiles. Again. He realizes that it's easy to make room in his head and fill it with warm eyes and hands he wants for himself. He thinks about how it was _before_. How everything changed. Before what happened with Stiles, a few months ago, he had an odd fascination for this weird kid. It was like he was drawn to him, but didn't know why. Now he knows Stiles. They spent a lot of time together, they talked a lot more those last weeks. Stiles grew on him, crawled under his skin. There's a warm feeling. Something more than what he's used to feel around family or his pack.

 

He freaked out when he realized it, when Stiles found that pair of ridiculous sleepers for Cora. But now, he thinks about how good it could be. He thinks he's allowed to grab this chance at being happy. Maybe he doesn't deserve it, doesn’t deserve Stiles, but there are plenty of people who have things or person they don't deserve.

 

Right before he falls asleep he sends Stiles a text.

 

 _Good night_ , it says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first part of the sixth chapter, I'll post the second one during the week-end.  
> Did you like this tiny half of a chapter? I can't wait to see what you thought about it! :)


	8. Chapter Six - Part Two

 

It's been a week. It's been a week and Stiles would like to know if it's enough, hopes it's not too much. He doesn't know how much time Derek needs, doesn't know if he doesn't want to see Stiles at all or see him but like they used to.

 

He spent the weekend with Scott doing nothing but things boys their age are supposed to do. When they were playing video games or watching a movie, Stiles made sure to tell himself how nice it is. He never enjoyed everyday life simple things more than he does now, after being scared for his life 24/7 for months.

 

By Thursday Stiles has used every little source of distraction he could find. It's been a week since he last saw Derek and he decides to man up and simply ask Derek if he meant he wanted things to go on like they were or if he wanted a little space. He text a simple “ _What's up?_ ” and mentally kicks himself. While he waits for an answer he finally lets himself think about what happened last week. And maybe about what could happen.

 

From what Derek said that morning, Stiles understood that his feelings are not a one-way thing. That only is great, amazing and he beams, laying flat on his bed remembering feeling so warm when he thought Derek was going to kiss him. A part of him wishes one of them had made the move but Stiles likes the fact that Derek was able to ask him to wait. Even though he doesn't really know what he's waiting for or how long he has to.

 

He waits nervously for a little while before it comes to his mind that Derek is not one to always have his phone with him. Derek only replies fast if he was the one starting the conversation or when he knows he could be needed for a reason or another. Lately he was quite slow at answering texts, unlike he was when Stiles was having troubles with his wolfy situation.

 

Stiles grabs the book he left on his bedside table last night and opens it when his phone rings, at last. It's not Derek, though. It's Scott sending him a picture of the cutest thing Stiles has ever seen.

 

 _Cute. But why?_ He types back.

 

 _She doesn't have a home._ With that Stiles knows what Scott is trying to do.

 

_Dude you know my dad is allergic to cats. He used to sneeze all the time when we had Cookie._

 

_I know. But she's so tiny and soft._

 

 _Where's her mom?_ Stiles asks. The bell rings and he sighs before getting up. “Better be worth my energy,” he mumbles.

 

It's Derek at the door. And Stiles needs his phone to ring to be brought back on earth. He was so not expecting Derek to show up on his doorstep in the middle of the afternoon.

 

“Hey, come in!” He says, and adds “if you want.”

 

Derek half smiles at him and gets in before closing the door behind him.

 

 _We couldn't save her._ Scott's text says and Stiles smiles because Scott probably thought to type something else than _she's dead_.

 

Then Derek asks “What's wrong?” like he can feel Stiles getting upset for the tiny cat.

 

“It's stupid,” Stiles shrugs. Derek takes his phone from his hand and reads the conversation.

 

“Scott always tries to convince me to take in the strays they have at the animal clinic.” Stiles explains.

 

“But you can't because of your dad.”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Wanna join me for a run?”

 

Stiles' first reaction to Derek's invitation is to look at him with raised eyebrow. He tilts his head because, really, he would like to understand how this guy works, but then he thinks that maybe Derek will give him the opportunity to learn someday.

 

“Okay.”

 

Stiles decides that this won't be another complicated thing to add to his life. He wants this, whatever it is or will be, to be easy and good. He will take what Derek has to give when Derek is ready to give it and that's it.

 

They run for two hours and Stiles is happy when Derek decides they need refreshments and their run ends in front of the dinner where they'll have the best milkshakes. They sit outside and Stiles makes fun of Derek for choosing a girly flavor then it's Derek's turn to laugh at him when Stiles tries the violet milkshake and tries to trade it with his vanilla one.

 

“Can I ask you something?” Stiles says as they walk in the direction of Derek's place.

 

Derek's tone is slightly hesitant when he replies a small “yes”.

 

“You said you studied History in College, what did you want to do, you know, later.”

 

“Nothing. I went because Laura made me. I didn't want to go to college.”

 

“What did you want then?”

 

“Nothing. But Laura she, she didn't want me staying home doing nothing of my days.”

 

“Oh.” And Stiles understands what Derek didn't say. Between the words and the weak voice he can hear it. Laura sending Derek to College was like Stiles' parents getting him a cat or his dad deciding it was time to go back to school at some point.

 

“I came to love it. History. Reminded me of my mother. In a good way.”

 

Stiles wants to say something but his thoughts are interrupted by a new text from Scott. It's a new picture of the kitten.

 

“Oh, come on!” Stiles whines.

 

“Scott?” Derek asks.

 

“Look at this cutie pie!” Stiles shoves his phone in Derek's direction. Derek grabs his wrist and puts it away from his face.

 

“If you want me to actually see...” Then there's a soft smile spreading on his lips.

 

“See!” Stiles almost yells. “She's so cute!”

 

“Maybe,” Derek starts.

 

“Yes!”

 

“You don't even know what I was about to say,” Derek frowns.

 

“You take her!” Stiles doesn't let Derek think, hopes if it wasn't what he wanted to say, Stiles could convince him that it was. “You have a big place, and you can shower her with love and cuddle with her at night!”

 

“But,”

 

“No! It's a great idea! I'm texting Scott, right now, and telling him we're on our merry way!”

 

This is how, two hours later, Stiles finds himself at Derek's, after a quick stop at the grocery store, slumped on the sofa with the kitten sleeping on his chest.

 

“If you're going to have dinner here,” Derek says, half resigned, but Stiles knows he's internally happy with both Stiles and the cat being here, “then you help me cook.”

 

“One: I can't move. Your cat's sleeping on me. Two: You should cook me dinner to thank me for bringing this cuddly bundle of joy in your life.”

 

Derek sighs so loudly, Stiles is sure he could have heard him without super-hearing.

 

They eat in the kitchen, once Stiles is sure the cat is comfortable on the couch.

 

“You should cook me dinner more often, dude. This is delicious.”

 

Stiles blushes when he sees the look on Derek's face. He wonders for half a second if he didn't cross a line, but Derek's intimate and soft smile tells him it's okay. And, yeah. He'd really like that, having dinner with Derek like this more often. A lot more.

 

“We should name her,” he says, hanging the subject completely.

 

“We?” Derek asks, amused.

 

“I mean you. You should name her, since she's yours now.”

 

“Why don't you help me with that?”

 

They spend the entire rest of time laughing stupidly, trying to find a cute name for the cat.

 

Later, when they've settled on Macja, they sit on the couch each on one side on the kitten to watch a movie. Stiles pets her, even when she wakes up to climb on Derek's lap. Stiles knows Derek is aware that caressing the soft fur is just an excuse for Stiles to sit closer and closer until they're touching from shoulder to knee.

 

When the movie is over, Stiles really doesn't want to go back home.

 

“We should get back to your training,” Derek says at the door.

 

“Ok, when?” Stiles doesn't care if he sounds eager. They both know where they stand.

 

“Tomorrow afternoon, if that's okay with you.”

 

Stiles smiles, “see you tomorrow.”

 

“Good night, Stiles.”

 

As he climbs down the stairs Stiles can't help but think that everything is going to go back to how it was but with a promise hanging in the air. He now knows that he just has to let Derek make his own way there, wait for him to be ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second part of the chapter !  
> Thank you for the support, you have no idea how much it means to me. I mean, it's always nice when I take a break from my baby-thesis to have some lovely words to read from you. AND it still amazes me that this story is read and... enjoyed?  
> Anyway.  
> Next chapter will up soon. 
> 
> As for the cat... I didn't know how to write it so that it would be english-readable ... it sounds like [matssya] with [tssss] and [ya].


	9. Chapter Seven

 

Derek is woken up by a tiny meow and almost wants to text Stiles to tell him to come get the cat right now. It's 6am. But then he rolls on his bed until his head hangs over the kitten. Macja looks up at him with what he'd call pleading eyes. He guesses she hoped down the bed during the night and can't jump back on it. She's so tiny. He grabs her with one hand and rolls on his back, puts her on his chest. She falls asleep instantly and he reaches for his phone on the bedside table and takes a picture, sends it to Stiles. He falls back asleep before getting an answer.

 

The alarm goes off at eight. There's still a cat on his chest and an unread text in his inbox.

 

 _Lucky girl_ , Stiles sent.

 

Derek feels bad when he has to move the cat away so he can get up. Stiles is coming over and Derek wants to get some groceries so they can feed themselves after training.

 

When he gets a text from Stiles telling him he's on his way in the early afternoon, Derek feels excited like he's never been in a long time. And nervous for some reasons. He waits on the balcony, watching down like a hawk, bounces inside as soon as his eyes catch the baby blue color of the Jeep.

 

He stops in the middle of his living room, thinking, _what I am doing?_ and shrugs. It feels good.

 

He looks around trying to find something to do. Stiles doesn't necessarily needs to know he was waiting for him like this. When he knows Stiles is climbing the last steps he jumps on the couch, grabs the closest book. He tries to look focused on whatever he's supposed to read when Stiles lets himself in.

 

Of course Stiles isn't fooled; his smile speaks for him. Derek doesn't want to let him laugh at him like this. He gets to his feet, lets the random book fall back on the coffee table.

 

An awkward moment follows. They're close to each other and Derek can tell Stiles is trying to figure out what would be the most appropriate way to say hello. The look on Stiles' face says something like “I want but I'm not sure I'm allowed” And, well, it's cute. Derek grabs Stiles by his shoulders and wraps his arms around him in a tight, lingering hug.

 

When they part Stiles' smile does things to Derek's insides.

 

“So, what's the plan?”

 

“Training.”

 

Stiles rolls his eyes, even though he knew full well why he was coming today. “Hearing?” He asks.

 

“Nope, you're good with your senses, I want to let you figure that out by yourself.”

 

“What then?” Stiles asks sounding suspicious.

 

“Fighting.”

 

“What?” Stiles half cries, sounding offended. “We've done plenty of that!”

 

“And you still have a lot to learn. Come on, I'll go easy on you.”

 

Stiles snorts, shows a severe lack of motivation. He takes his hoodie of and waits for directions. “Here?”

 

“There's way enough space.” Derek says, garbing Stiles hands and leading him where he knows there's no wall, no furniture or anything Stiles can bang into.

 

Derek takes position and waits for Stiles to mirror him. “I remember teaching you better than that,” he frowns, readjust Stiles position kicking his feet where they should be and firmly moving his arms then closing Stiles' fists the right way. Once Stiles is ready, Derek mirrors him.

 

“Now, when I come at you like this,” he says, slowly faking a punch with a right-hand lead, “see how far my fist has to travel through space?” He does it again. “All this extra distance, past your shoulders?”

 

“So?” Stiles asks, making a show of how boring this is for him.

 

Derek rolls his eyes. “So, that's the time you have to respond. If you see something coming, you can stop it.”

 

“Okay and how do I do that?”

 

“You don't. It's coming too fast.” Derek smirks.

 

“You just said that I could see it coming!” Stiles exclaims throwing his arms over his head.

 

“Yes, but the fact that I'm throwing a right-hand lead proves to you that I think that you won't. I think you'll miss it. That's how little I think of your reflexes.” Derek states, repeating after the echo of his father's lessons in his head.

 

“I'll prove you wrong.” Stiles says, cheeky. There's a slight change in his attitude. He's in the game now.

 

“Want to try?” Derek asks playfully, raising an eyebrow. He knows which button to push so Stiles will want to play fight with him.

 

“Seriously?” Stiles sounds offended, and that's exactly what Derek was aiming for.

 

“I'll take a shot. You try and block it.”

 

“Okay.” Stiles shrugs. Derek throws a right-hand lead punch and Stiles dodges it only because Derek stopped before hitting him.

 

“Too slow.”

 

“Again.” There's determination in Stiles' voice now.

 

He tries again.

 

“Ah, too late.” Derek laughs, “you're dead.”

 

“Wait. Let's exchange. You try to block me.” Stiles decides, obviously irritated.

 

Derek chuckles, “Okay.”

 

“Like this, right?” Stiles asks, slowly trying to imitate Derek's movement from before.

 

“You're gonna do it at that speed?” Derek tries to hide his smile knowing full well Stiles will take it the wrong way. He'll see it as mocking when it's just the physical expression of Derek's fondness.

 

“No, Derek, I'm not.” Stiles answers, sounding annoyed just like Derek expected. He still tries. Starting counting.

 

“Don't count it off. You got to use the element of surprise.”

 

“Fine.” He tries again and Derek can't help but laugh.

 

“It's not funny. Once more.” He fails.

 

“Come on, Stiles.” Derek says wanting to stop Stiles before he gets really angry for something that stupid.

 

“Once more!” Stiles repeats firmly.

 

Derek sighs and let him try again, and again until Stiles surrenders and goes and lets himself fall onto the couch. The cat doesn't waist anytime and is on him as soon as he's settled comfortably.

 

“Ridiculous.” Stiles mumbles, like he's talking to the cat and Derek can't hear him.

 

“What is?” Derek asks.

 

“You are.”

 

“I am?” Derek huffs.

 

“You enjoyed that.” Stiles accuses him.

 

“No.”

 

“Yes. You liked making me feel pathetic, weak.” Derek frowns at that.

 

“Well, you are weak. Weaker.”

 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence!” Stiles gets up from the couch, ignoring the kitten. He grabs his hoodie and Derek doesn't understand what's going on anymore.

 

“It was a game, You're just upset because you lost. If you'd won, you'd be gloating.” He says. He doesn't want Stiles to leave.

 

“I would not.”

 

“Yes, you would.” He reaches for Stiles arms and turns him so they're facing. “You can't expect to win at this game Stiles. You're still learning and I'm an Alpha.”

 

Stiles makes a bored face and shrugs. “I gotta go.”

 

Derek rolls his eyes. “Stiles,” he takes Stiles' hand in his before it reaches the door. He can't help but smile a little. He just wanted to have fun with Stiles having woken up in a great mood. He wanted to play. He tries not to think about the L word when Stiles turns around and faces him with a pout.

 

“I just wanted to play,” he explains.

 

“Yeah, well. Next time I choose a game you'll be shit at.” Stiles crosses his arms against his chest, still pouting and leans back against the door.

 

“Don't be mad,” Derek says, smiling softly. He's never seen Stiles act like this, all upset, pouting and a little bit childish. He takes Stiles hands in his and takes a small step towards him.

 

“I'm not mad. I'm upset.” Stiles answers, failing at sounding reproachful. “Because of you.”

 

Derek is still smiling, Stiles is still pouting. And Derek thinks, _fuck it all_. Doesn't _really_ think. He just wants the pout away, wants to see Stiles smile. And he goes for it. He lets go of Stiles right hand and raises his now free one to Stiles' neck and kisses him.

 

Everything suddenly seems so easy. It's the most chaste and sweetest kiss Derek ever took part in. He feels like he just figured out how to breathe after being held up underwater for ages. It feels right.

 

He can feel Stiles' entire body relax against his, Stiles' soft and shuddering sigh against his lips. Then Stiles loops one arm around Derek's waist, and hides a hand in Derek's hair. Derek's only thought is that he doesn't want to let go of that feeling of rightness ever.

 

“Don't you dare thinking I'm forgiving you like that.” Stiles whispers against Derek's lips when they part.

 

Derek huffs and lets go of Stiles. “I bet food would do the trick.”

 

“Your cooking might help.” Stiles concedes.

 

Derek didn't plan on Cora and Isaac to join them for dinner but the four of them spend a nice evening. It feels like nothing changed but private smiles are exchanged and Derek feels like he waited long enough to allow himself something good.

 

Stiles and Isaac make a competition out of washing and drying the dishes and Derek decides to let them do that. He climbs the stairs and walks on he rooftop, soon joined by his sister.

 

Cora sits by him, close enough that they're touching and so that she can rest her head on his shoulder. “Mom would have liked him,” she says tentatively. Derek puts his arm around her shoulders and closes his eyes.

 

“Thank you,” he answers softly into her hair. They're both fully aware that he's not only talking about what she just said. “Thank you for coming back to me.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my laptop's charger died, meaning I couldn't use it for about 2 weeks and wasn't able to upload this chapter earlier.   
> But, good news is: my baby thesis is done and I have a little time before going back to school. There's just one chapter left, some sort of epilogue so now is the time for requests if there's anything you want answers to or see happen... and I'll see what I can do.
> 
> Let me know if you enjoyed the new chapter ! (I know it's short)


	10. Epilogue

It’s been raining all day which tends to drive Stiles crazy. He can’t stay inside too long, he needs to be doing things, even more so now that a part of him has some animalistic needs. Like being outside. And moving.

 

The brakes of his Jeep are not in shape for that weather and he doesn’t feel like running around under the rain. Even if it wouldn't come with a cold.

 

His father is working, Scott is living his life. Everyone just wants to stay in and wait for the downpour to finally stop.

 

“Arh! Finally!” Stiles yells when his phone rings, filled with joy at the prospect of at least two minutes doing _something_.

 

It’s Derek calling and Stiles is surprised. He wasn’t excepting anything from him, as he was told that Derek and his sister where having some quality time.

 

“Hey! What’s up?” He asks slightly too exited. 

 

“So Cora actually went to the movies with Scott and Isaac because the weather apparently called for it” Derek starts with.

 

“And?”

 

“Want me to come pick you up?”

 

“To go to the movies?” Stiles is not in the mood for that. Sitting still for at least an hour and a half. No way.

 

“I was thinking we could just hang out here. I don’t like the rain.” Derek sounds grumpy and Stiles figures Cora went as far away from him as possible, the guy’s no fun when behaving like this.

 

“Okay! But we’re having dinner. And something. I need to get rid of all that extra energy I’ve got.”

 

“Can do. I’ll be there in 30.”

 

“I’ll be ready, Alpha mine!” Derek hangs up without a word.

 

Stiles shrugs.

 

 

Things have been good lately. Stiles feels in harmony with this new part of himself. He wouldn't say that he is happy about being a werewolf but he's come to terms with it and frankly that's better than being dead.

 

There are so many different things he wouldn't have been able to experience buried deep into the ground. So many things he would have never felt. Like the tickling in his stomach when Derek looks at him. Nothing has quite happened yet. But. It feels like there is this _thing_ floating above their heads and for once it's a good thing. A very good thing.

 

 

They still train seriously everyday and spend some time together with Isaac and Cora. Scott came along with Stiles a couple times for training and it's been nice. Easier than Stiles expected, and when he voiced that thought to his best friend Scott just said that he was ready to accept Derek in their life, not only the werewolfy one, but the everyday one as well. Stiles took that as Scott's way to tell him that he knew what was going on with them two and he was okay with it.

 

And then there's Derek. He has been behaving differently lately. They spend more time together, now. Not only they see each other everyday, but sometimes they don't even bother with training. There are long walks in the preserve, they run, they talk about nothing and everything.

 

Derek is more open than he ever was. Stiles feels like maybe Derek is comfortable around him and that means a lot.

 

 

 

Stiles shrugs on his hoodie when he hears Derek’s car stopping in front of the house. He all but runs towards the car.

 

It’s warm in the car and some soft music is playing. Derek gives Stiles a warm smile and they’re on their way to the loft. When they get there Derek asks for help to carry some groceries out. Stiles mumbles about being cold and rain being a pain in his ass but hurries once he’s told that it’s his dinner he has to carry up.

 

 

It’s only once Derek has gotten rid of his jacket and is standing besides him in the kitchen that Stiles realizes.

 

Derek is always breathtaking in an effortless king of way but tonight is different. It looks like the Alpha actually wanted to look particularly good. And he does.

 

“Oh my god this is a date,” Stiles blurts.

 

“Wasn’t it obvious?” Derek asks.

 

“It is now!” Stiles make a point of giving him a once-over. “Oh my god.” He says again. “I’m wearing sweatpants!”

 

“Which I really don’t mind,” Derek states warmly.

 

Stiles gapes at him. “Oh my god.”

 

“Go and take off your shoes.”

 

 

As he re-enters the main room Stiles notices a couple boxes by the bookshelf. He frowns. “What’s with the books?“

 

“I’m… uh.”

 

“You’re what?” Stiles presses.

 

“I’m looking for a new place?”

 

“Is that a question? Because I don’t know. I don’t know why you’re boxing your books and why you’re. Wait a minute. You’re looking for a new place? What place? Where? What?” Stiles stats to panic.

 

Derek leaves what he’s doing in the kitchen and stops really close to Stiles.

 

“It’s a bit to dark here, I don’t want to spend the winter in that place so I’m looking for something different.”

 

“But where?”

 

“Here, at least around here. Not far.”

 

“Alright. Then feed me. You said something about dinner?”

 

“Just take a sit. I’ll be in the kitchen.”

 

Stiles goes and sits on the comfy couch. He manages to keep his thoughts together for about half a minute before standing up and walking to the bathroom.

 

Where he takes a minute to register what’s going on.

 

First, he’s on a date with Derek. Derek who he likes very much. Whom he can now safely say he is falling in love with.

 

Second, said Derek is looking for a new place for himself. That alone tells Stiles that Derek is doing way better than he was a while ago. Derek wants good things for himself. A warm house to spend the winter, to feel home again.

 

A Stiles?

 

“Okay.” Stiles tells his reflection. “You can’t do anything about the attire. You can try to save the hair.”

 

He cleans his face up, realizes too late that he’ll smell exactly like Derek’s hands (good. so good) then tries to do something about his hair.

 

“Now. Derek obviously likes you. Despite… uh. Go figure.”

 

Stiles stares at his reflection for little while. “Don’t freak out. The guy’s pretty in, already.” He laughs.

 

“This is it! First date.” He looks at the door. “I’m freaking out.” He says.

 

And then hears Derek voice coming from somewhere in the loft. “I’m freaking out, too. Come out here.” He sounds amused. Stiles counts that as a win.

 

 

They cook together in the end because Derek is very much aware that Stiles is unable to wait around. It’s fun. Dinner is delicious. Stiles isn’t surprised by Derek’s cooking skills anymore but he loves that Derek wants to share this with him.

 

While Derek cleans the dishes Stiles manages to exert himself playing with the cat. If after witnessing that Derek still wants to have something to do with Stiles, then he’ll be able to put up with him for real.

 

“Can I borough a book?” Stiles asks once the cat is hiding away from him.

 

“Sure.” Derek answers, coming back from the kitchen. There’s water on his t-shirt because he’s a messy cleaner and Stiles feels a fond smile take over his own face. “Wanna watch something?”

 

“I’d rather read in a comfy and warm bed actually.” Stiles says hesitantly. He doesn’t know if Derek would be okay with sharing a bed again.

 

“I’ll get you something to change into, then.” And just like that, it seems settled that Stiles will spend the night. He shoots a quick text to his dad and grabs a random book.

 

 

Stiles feels a bit overwhelmed by how easy and natural it is to slip in bed with Derek. For a little while they just read, each on their side until Stiles decides he’s too tired to keep his eyes open.

 

“Can you read for me?” He asks stupidly. Not a second was he expecting Derek to chuckle warmly, get up from bed and come back quickly with another book. And start reading out loud.

 

Stiles doesn’t open his eyes to spare a glance at the cover but quickly enough he understand what the book is about. It’s most probably a story for children and the characters are in no way humans. The story is beautiful and Stiles falls asleep before the end against the comforting warmth of Derek’s body.

 

 

***  


Derek is woken up from his nightmare by someone talking softly in his ear. He opens his eyes and finds Stiles’ worried face.

 

“I’m okay.” He whispers, and it’s true. Never before as he woken up from a nightmare and felt safe. “Thank you.”

 

He moves on his side and waits for Stiles to get back under the covers. Once they’re facing each other Derek grabs Stiles’ hand in his and holds it tight. “I’m okay, now.” He repeats.

 

They look into each other’s eyes for a while, not voicing any of their thought until out of nowhere Stiles says “I understand, now. Thank you.”

 

Even though Derek is still a bit slumberous, he gets what Stiles is saying immediately. He squeezes Stiles’ hand in acknowledgment.

 

 

Stiles is half sleeping again when Derek whisper “I trust you” like it’s the biggest secret.

 

Their first kiss tastes like coffee when Stiles brings breakfast in bed the next morning.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 10 years later, the epilogue. Sorry, life went crazy.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this little thing, feel free to let me know ;)   
> Thanks to everyone who stopped by, left a kuddo or comment.


End file.
